When Venti walked away - he regrets that. Xiao looks like he doesn't really know anything about it unless he's pretending. He wants to throw tantrums just because no one seems to care about him inside this castle right now. Well, more like he's not getting enough attention from Xiao.

He's been walking around the castle, has nothing to do. Aether already left, Xiao is still practicing, Sayu is on her job. He can memorize all the rules but... That would be boring.

Is there really no one? "Princess Venti?" A low voice of a girl called. "Princess Beidou? Ah!" He immediately bowed to show respect, "Where are you going to?" She smiled, "The thing is... I don't have anything to do, I'm just wandering around. Hehe"

He looked everywhere but Beidou's eyes. He just couldn't get himself to not be awkward around her, but when it comes to Ningguang... They're kind of like enemies, but a sibling-like enemy. He and Ningguang would always fight about Venti breaking rules and being a naughty princess.

"Then come join me!"

"W-where?" Venti finally looked at her face, she was grinning, her arms placed in her waist. "Sail my ship, don't tell Ningguang though" she winks.

"Isn't that not allowed?"

"It is actually. But decades ago... It was illegal for a princess to sail their own ship due to our gender and position. I'm glad that changed... I wouldn't find any happiness if I'm always stuck in this palace" she giggled. "So. Are you up for it?"

"Yeah!"

"Let's go!"

-

As they get into the massive ship, Venti remembered something. "I'm not allowed to go outside... Princess Beidou I'll be in trouble!"
Instead of getting mad, Beidou pats his shoulder and chuckled. "Don't worry. I won't tell Ningguang about it, I'll also get in trouble if they find out"

And so Beidou waved at the people who were already in the ship. She did switch into a decent clothes that are perfect for sailing a ship. She even wore a high socks and heels. She looks really elegant.

"Also, don't call me princess Beidou. Call me captain instead. It's not needed to always be formal" she laughs before going to the ship's wheel. When the ship finally started moving, it felt really awesome. The fresh air, the sound of the water splashing are very pleasing.

Venti closed his eyes as he enjoys everything. It was already late when he realized he fell asleep. He opened his eyes when it was already dark and they're already back in Liyue. He wonders how many hours Beidou sailed her ship. "You looked like you enjoyed it?"

"Yeah... Though I didn't see things because I was sleeping, it was still good" he smiled as he stood up from the barrel he's sitting on. "Let's go back"

They walked their way to the castle even if they can use a carriage or anything. Venti wasn't complaining. It seems like Beidou likes walking too, not gonna lie Beidou isn't that bad. She wasn't sensitive or whatever. She's pretty enthusiastic, unlike Xiao who would rather read books, or sleep whenever it's his free time.

"Venti, let's make a promise" Venti flinched at the sudden talk but hums in response anyway, "don't leave Alatus, whatever may happen... Please, stay with him"

"What if I can't stay with him..? What if... I leave" Beidou smiled, "You wouldn't" she's right, Venti had no intentions to leave, for now.

"Then I, Venti, will promise to stay with your brother till death do us apart"

"I hope you keep that promise, prince Venti"

"Prince Venti?"

"Hm, yeah. You are a boy, you deserve to get the title that is truly yours" Venti somehow can't stop himself from feeling happy just by that, being called prince and not a princess. "Why can't I just get called prince instead of a princess?"

"About that... Venti, it's really complicated... I can't explain it to you - yet. But sure, I promise you, one day everyone will know your true identity"

"But why can't you? What's really going on in this castle?"

"Oh would you look at that, Venti" she pointed the castle, "we're back" she smiled before walking faster than Venti. Thankfully, he catches up. When they first entered the castle, they were already greeted by two people - their arms were crossed as their faces looked like they've been waiting for their arrival.

Not so long after, Venti feels his ears getting pinch by Xiao as he screams in pain "where have you been, hm?"

"Ah- Xiao!"

"Let's go" the last thing that Venti saw before he completely gets dragged by Xiao is Beidou giving him a nervous face with a peace sign.

-

Xiao slammed the door shut once he and Venti entered his room. He threw Venti in his bed - not harshly - locking the door. "You broke the rule again"

Venti looked down and avoids Xiao's scary eyes. He felt Xiao's fingers in his chin, and now he's looking back up again. "Look at me when I'm talking to you" and Venti did. He stared right into his eyes but Xiao did not react a single thing at all - meaning he might be serious.

He's really scary when he's angry... "Do you want to keep getting punished by Ningguang? Or you want me to do it myself"

"Woah, woah... W-what are you going to do..." Xiao's stare at him was terrifying, as if he was staring right into his soul. "Xiao you're scaring me..."

The prince leaned closer to him. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for going out of the castle again. I was curious when Beidou told me about her sailing the ship so I came with her, and – and also... Because... Uh, I have nothing to do in this castle!"

"All I do here is walk around when you're gone! I'm so bored and no one pays attention to me... Especially you... You're always practicing you know? I need attention from my friends too!"

Xiao didn't respond by talking, instead, he buried his face in Venti's neck. Nuzzling his face into the heat of Venti's nape. He pushed him further in the bed, causing Venti to fall and lay down.

Venti was once again pinned down by Xiao just like last night. But this time, there's no lust around them or whatever. It's just a soft instant that, probably, Xiao wanted to do with someone for a while now. "X-xiao..." He tries his best not to burst out laughing cause he can feel Xiao's hot breathe in his neck and it tickles him, a lot.

"Let's stay like this for a while, friend" his voice came out as a muffled noise. Venti giggled as he starts patting Xiao's back. "What about dinner..?"

"Mm... Why would I need to eat that when I can eat you..." Huh... Did, he, did, what, uhm. "W-what" Venti felt his cheeks getting hot, and he swears he does not like it. Xiao chuckled, "you're thinking something else... That's not what I meant"

"Ah. Hehe... Thank god.." Their cuddle time was ruined when they heard a knock on the door. Eventually, Xiao stood up with an annoyed sigh and walked towards the door.

It revealed a short girl holding tray of food. "Princess Beidou told me to bring this to you..." Venti peeked and saw Sayu. He quickly walked towards her and picked up the tray from her hand. "We meet again! Let's eat together?"

"Maids will be mad..."

"It's okay, alright? Princess Venti will scold the maid if she hurts you" Xiao smiled as he admires the two people in front of his eyes. The little girl nodded.

They all sat on the floor and ate there. Xiao seems bothered by it – he always eats at a table what do we expect. Well for Venti and Sayu, they were somehow used to it.

Even if Xiao was weirded out, there's part of him that was enjoying this.

"Sayu, do you have a family? A mom? A dad?" The little girl was silent at first, but then opened her mouth to talk anyway, "I don't want to go back to my house... Please let me stay here"

"Of course! I guess you have a bad experience with them... You may stay here in the castle with me!"

"You'll be my mom..?" The food in Xiao's mouth came out accidentally after Sayu said those shocking words. While Venti freezes. "Prince Alatus spits his food..."

"Ahaha... O-okay! I'll be your mom..."

"That means prince Alatus is my dad" this time, Venti was the one who accidentally spits his food. "What's wrong with both of you... Wasting food.."

"N-no, I'm not your father... Yet..." Venti hits him in his arms and smiled at him with wide eyes, telling him to stop telling those. "Y-yeah! He's not your father, yet..."

-

Im starting to think that my writing skill is going back to lvl 1 again.......... It's hard without a laptop 😭